America for Sale
Outsourcing of American jobs, insourcing of foreign labor and the new trend by state politicians is selling off American roads. There is a growing controversy over proposals to sell taxpayer owned and paid for assets to foreign interests.
An Australian-Spanish consortium has been quietly snapping up major U.S. highways. In January, the group secured a lease for 99 years of the Chicago skyway for $1.83 billion.
In March, the same company convinced Indiana to lease for 75 years the 157 mile Indiana toll road. Indiana receives $4 billion up front, and the private company promises maintenance upkeep, while pocketing future toll revenue.
Indiana state representative David Orentlicher was not convinced taxpayers got a good deal. He says: “With a consortium based in Australia and Spain that has investors abroad, their concern is going to be with their investment, not with the welfare of people who live in Indiana, who use that toll road.”
The most recent controversy is over a proposal to sell of Pennsylvania's turnpike to private foreign interests. The Pennsylvania Turnpike stretches 537 miles. This critical piece of northeast infrastructure may soon go on the auction bloc. Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell says his state is considering the option in order to plug a $1.7 billion transportation budget hole.
Pennsylvania Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell claims: “All of the money that comes from the sale of the turnpike will be put into a fund, and 100 percent of the interest income generated will be used for transportation.”
Critics question, if a private company can make the highway profitable and maintain the highway, why can't the state governments do the same thing. Our elected leaders shouldn’t be selling off or leasing American assets that belong to the taxpayers, especially when the leading bidders are foreign companies. They're pawning our roads to the highest bidder worldwide in order to continue deficit spending.
These are taxpayer asset paid for by taxpayers, owned by the taxpayers, and should not be sold. Our politicians don’t have the to right to sell something that belongs to taxpayers. They’re selling off our property without our authorization, because in many cases the state governments are not putting the issue up for a referendum vote.
From a fiscal standpoint they're spending future money for generations to come.
An Australian-Spanish consortium has been quietly snapping up major U.S. highways. In January, the group secured a lease for 99 years of the Chicago skyway for $1.83 billion.
In March, the same company convinced Indiana to lease for 75 years the 157 mile Indiana toll road. Indiana receives $4 billion up front, and the private company promises maintenance upkeep, while pocketing future toll revenue.
Indiana state representative David Orentlicher was not convinced taxpayers got a good deal. He says: “With a consortium based in Australia and Spain that has investors abroad, their concern is going to be with their investment, not with the welfare of people who live in Indiana, who use that toll road.”
The most recent controversy is over a proposal to sell of Pennsylvania's turnpike to private foreign interests. The Pennsylvania Turnpike stretches 537 miles. This critical piece of northeast infrastructure may soon go on the auction bloc. Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell says his state is considering the option in order to plug a $1.7 billion transportation budget hole.
Pennsylvania Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell claims: “All of the money that comes from the sale of the turnpike will be put into a fund, and 100 percent of the interest income generated will be used for transportation.”
Critics question, if a private company can make the highway profitable and maintain the highway, why can't the state governments do the same thing. Our elected leaders shouldn’t be selling off or leasing American assets that belong to the taxpayers, especially when the leading bidders are foreign companies. They're pawning our roads to the highest bidder worldwide in order to continue deficit spending.
These are taxpayer asset paid for by taxpayers, owned by the taxpayers, and should not be sold. Our politicians don’t have the to right to sell something that belongs to taxpayers. They’re selling off our property without our authorization, because in many cases the state governments are not putting the issue up for a referendum vote.
From a fiscal standpoint they're spending future money for generations to come.
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